Future Events

DAC Calendar

• September 2024
  19 to 23 – J22 Free State Regionals
  20 to 24 – DAC Attack / Keelboat Week
• October 2024
  19 to 20 – F1 Nationals & 40th Anniversary Celebration
  20 – Certificate of Fitness – on-site inspection & renewal for member’s vessels (08h00 onwards)
• November 2024
  2nd – GP7 Pursuit Race
  3rd – MOD Summer 2
• December 2024
  14th – Toy Run
  

• January 2025
  25th – King of the Vaal
  26th – MOD Summer 4
• April 2025
  6th – MOD Summer 6

Download the latest Northern Regions Sailing Calendar.

SA Sailing

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Past Events

The 2023 DAC Pursuit Race – What a race

Written by Stewart Giles

18 November 2023

When 33 boats confirm entry to a race that statistically attracts half that you know something special is happening. The healthy interest could be, in part due to the fact that this was the first year the Pursuit Race was to be included in the GP series, but whatever the reason it was clear this was going to be a really, really cool sailing event.

33 entries and 28 starters on the day, and the wind predictions looked promising. This could be interesting. However, as is often the case the wind forecast is about as reliable as Eskom. There was wind. And then there wasn’t. And then there was. But more on that later.

With the start in place courtesy of the awesome DAC Bridge/mark laying team of Ann, Marie, Tersia and Wesley the majority of the fleet were away before 11.00. After a quick dash to the weather mark, the spinnakers came up and the Holidays, Mistrals, Astoves, Stadts and a lone Nimbus headed for the Muster Mark.

After a quick port howzit to the Seal Point Mark it was a beat to LDYC and Noumea, the Mistral helmed by Mark Tee was already telling the rest of the fleet that he meant business. By now the majority of the other competitors had started too, but the leading boats were blissfully unaware of this. Noumea had built up a considerable lead now but, as we all know – it ain’t over until….  

 With handicaps being eaten up, and skippers wondering whether to hug the shore or take a more direct path to LDYC the wind was showing signs of easing up. And then it did just that. A mirror of water reminiscent of Coleridge’s Ancient Mariner spread out as far as the eye could see. Not a puff in sight. And by then the J27 skippered by Jake Opperman had already joined the party. Instigator had infiltrated the fleet and wasn’t about to take any prisoners.  

 Meanwhile…

Over on the other side of the dam, an unseen battle was taking place. And it involved a Dragonfly and the eventual winner of the race. But this wouldn’t be a story worth reading if the ending was revealed this early on in the tale.

 Back on the south side of the dam the ripples on the water suggested a change was on the cards, but by now an L26 and a J22 had joined the fray, and this didn’t bode well for the slower boats. Rob Wilcox on Streetcar and Jessica Lenz’s Jazzy were in the running. 

This was confirmed when the majority of the fleet headed for the Muster Mark again. Streetcar and Jazzy were now dots in the periphery, heading for Rose Bay. 

It’s all over, some said.

Then a few things happened at once. A Fareast 28, skippered by Deon Viljoen started to gain on the others. Manny Raposo’s Dragonfly wasn’t far behind. The sky darkened and the temperature dropped a few degrees. And then the wind started to howl. The boats in the front sped off – the Mistrals said Please no, and did what Mistrals do at times like these. The flattening of the Mistrals enabled some of the other boats to catch up. Brad Wooley on his Stadt 34 took full advantage and steadily passed the Stadt 23 sailed by Tyronne Morris, who reacted to this in the only way possible, by shrugging his shoulders.

That’s the Pursuit Race for you. 

 As the cutoff time loomed the L26 looked like he had it in the bag. Then Phattass decided otherwise. Deon Viljoen clearly reckoned this was a DAC race and therefore a DAC member had to win it. And win it he did. The Fareast 28 took the honours at 16.00 with Streetcar in second and Instigator in the bronze position. 

It was an amazing sailing event, and it was an unprecedented one in which the first ten boats were from different sailboat classes. The smiles on the faces of the sailors back on land told a story of their own.

The 2023 Deneysville Aquatic Club Pursuit Race was possibly the best one ever. There was something for everyone and this definitely bodes well for the future of sailing on the Vaal Dam. 

 Hats off to DAC for another impeccably organised sailing event.

60th Anniversary Celebrations (2023)

On the 21st of October, members, invited guests, and ardent supporters gathered to celebrate the remarkable 60th Anniversary of the Deneysville Aquatic Club. It was an evening that will be etched in their memories, made even sweeter by South Africa’s World Cup Rugby semi-final win over England, mirroring the club’s journey, often winning by a narrow margin of dedication and passion.

The Deneysville Aquatic Club, which started as a small powerboat club over six decades ago, has now grown into the club we know today.  The evening was nothing short of an elegant affair, and attendees, including members, invited guests, and supporters, showed up in their finest attire. It was a testament to the significance of the event that attendees were dressed to the nines, with a strict ban on slops, shorts, and jeans for the evening.

Nostalgia was in the air, and the atmosphere was filled with a sense of celebration. A slide show, showcasing past photos, added to the merriment, evoking memories of bygone days. It was like opening a treasure chest of the past, where attendees discovered old photos and newsletters that provided a captivating glimpse into the history and evolution of the Deneysville Aquatic Club.

Among the fascinating discoveries was a newsletter from March 1991, which announced an increase in the price of Saturday evening meals to R8.00 to keep up with the ever-increasing costs. This amusing historical tidbit illustrated how times have changed and expenses have evolved over the years.

The 60th Anniversary celebration was a testament to the club’s enduring spirit and the dedication of its members, supporters, and guests. It highlighted the importance of cherishing the past while looking forward to a future filled with adventures, camaraderie, and shared passion for aquatic pursuits. As the Deneysville Aquatic Club continues to grow and evolve, it is clear that its history and traditions will remain a source of pride and inspiration for all those who have been a part of this remarkable journey. Here’s to the next 60 years of memories and milestones!

DAC Weekend 11 – 12 June 2022

An unforgettable Saturday Night was had at DAC this weekend.

A Scottish Evening that I don’t think will be forgotten anytime soon.

Our Entertainment Committee started the festivities off with the very stylish décor keeping with the theme for the evening. Handmade bunting, thistles decorating the table and a little bottle of DAC Scotch Whisky to take home. All in all the DAC Entertainment Committee, headed up by our favourite lady of the Vaal, Liz Bray, with her team of Henriette van Beek, Marie Bester and whole bunch of willing decorators, transformed our dining room into a Scottish festival.

The proceedings began and were lead by our own Jeremy Tucker, who astounded and amazed us with his dedication to making the evening a true Scottish experience with his rendition of the address to the Haggis and keeping the evening flowing.

Leighton Pearson piped the Haggis in and provided the entertainment for the evening with his bagpipes.

Huge thanks go to John Miller, Liz Bray, Boudewjn and Lynn Spronk, Henriette and Peter van Beek and Margaret Collard for their contributions to an unforgettable evening at DAC.

AGM 12 June 2022

Our Annual General Meeting was held at 11 am on the 12^th June 2022 at the club.

It was a rather cold and foggy morning – reminiscent of a Scottish morning and keeping with the weekend’s theme.

Our committee was re-elected for a second term and remains unchanged, as follows:

• Commodore – Pierre van Rensburg
• Vice Commodore –  Amanda Breytenbach
• Rear Commodore – Trevor Hullerman
• Vice Rear Commodore – Peter van Beek
• Treasurer – Kobus de Villiers
• Harbour Master – Randolph Verheij
• Trustees –  Kevin Campbell, Mark Brand and Attie Vorster

The AGM was rounded off by our traditional homemade soup.

The weekend was a huge success and we are all looking forward to our next DAC event.

ABBA Mama Mia Evening

The DAC Ladies team, sailing on Jalapeño the J22, had an ABBA/ Mamma Mia themed fundraiser in April 2022 to raise funds to support their campaign for the 2022 Marriot J22 World Championships in Durban this July.

The evening was well enjoyed by the DAC members and many friends supporting our cause. Your generous contributions by attending the evening is hugely appreciated. The dinner raised R5 600. During the evening, raffle tickets were sold an prizes drawn and the proceeds pushed our fund to R9 760. We are further thankful for the donations, both on the night and those still being received which have swelled our piggy bank to a total of R26 610.

We could not have had this incredibly successful evening without our organisers Victoria, Lizzie, Amanda, Henriette and their team. We would also like to thank DAC for hosting the
event, Sharon and her team, and everyone who sponsored the countless generous contributions towards the event. Special thanks to the following for adding a special touch of magic to the night: My Grandfather’s Cat Brewery for the beer&gin and beer&rum raffles, Doghouse Cheese for their cheese raffle, Chris Curry for the great music and his time, Pierre van Rensburg for the wine raffle and Kyle Harvey for the radio controlled boat raffle.

We would also like to specially thank Brad & Ann Woolley, the Van Beek family, Kobus de Villiers, and Ray van Rensburg of Geotron Systems P/LT for their various donations.
We hope that we have not missed anyone in naming the wonderful contributions, sponsorships and donations that you have gifted us with. If we have missed someone, please let us know as we would like to thank them personally.

We are excited to be on this journey with the support of everyone helping us during our preparation and lead up to worlds. The money raised to date will cover our entry fee, accommodation, travel and boat transport for the world championships. As part of our preparation, we will also be participating in the J22 KZN Provincials 16 to 19 June 2022. We hope that there will be surplus funds to cover the accommodation and entry for this event as well as our coach boat’s fuel.